


drabbles

by tigriswolf



Series: comment_fic drabbles [118]
Category: DCU, DCU Animated, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Angst, Child Abuse, Dark, F/M, Future Fic, Gen, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, POV Outsider, Prison, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-19
Updated: 2016-07-25
Packaged: 2017-11-21 12:58:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/598032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigriswolf/pseuds/tigriswolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'm moving most of my drabbles to this collection.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. we're all paupers in the grave

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: we're all paupers in the grave  
> Disclaimer: most of them aren't mine  
> Warnings: future!fic for Under the Red Hood; AU  
> Pairings: none stated  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 540  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: DCU, Jason Todd, the prison chaplain doesn't know what to think of him

He's there without fail every Sunday. He sits silently, eyes closed, and sways in place, and looks so very young. Cole knows the basics of his story — everyone does. Why he didn't end up in Arkham, instead being sent to Blüdhaven and a medium-security prison is less well-known, but Cole has his suspicions.

Jason Todd. A street-kid until Bruce Wayne took him in. Thought dead in an accident while on a trip with Wayne. Showed up five years later as a crime lord and nearly took Gotham apart.

Nearly killed the Joker.

Vanished again, only to return with a vengeance and nearly killed _Batman_ this time, and that should've sent him to Arkham and a deep dark hole somewhere, but Superman — fucking _Superman_ — spoke in his favor, about second chances and horrid scars, and even Batman had refused to press charges.

Bruce Wayne was at the trial, since Todd wouldn't plea bargain out. Every one of his goons and his lieutenants had been found dead beforehand, but Todd had underworld connections he could've turned over. He didn't, though. He sat through the trial and didn't speak a word, either to defend or damn himself. And he didn't once look back at Wayne.

Ten years, because there was only proof for the attempt at Batman and even though everyone knew he'd been responsible for that mess in Gotham with the Joker and Black Mask there was no evidence. Ten years, three served so far, and he's been to the service every Sunday. He hasn't requested counseling and he's taken all classes offered, and he has utterly destroyed every single man who tried to take him down. A trail of broken bodies leads to his cell, and he's had privileges revoked and spent weeks in solitary, but none of it leaves a mark. He doesn't care.

He's silent in the chapel. Cole doesn't know what he's hearing, what he's thinking, or how much longer he'll be staying.

The other prisoners have mostly stopped bothering him. He keeps to himself unless provoked so the guards have mostly quit worrying about him.

But Cole remembers a daring kid in Gotham, a terrorist who played everyone to his tune, and a criminal who almost killed the Batman. And sometimes Todd looks at him like he remembers, too, when they ran the streets together, just two lost boys who knew they'd been born and would die on the same corner.

Todd won't be in prison much longer. Cole figures he's just been resting here, where it's nearly safe.

It's a Wednesday when Todd finally has an appointment for counseling. He smiles at Cole, a little boy grin that doesn't match his ice-cold eyes, and he asks softly, "Do I deserve forgiveness, you think?"

Cole knows the answer he should give, the answer most anyone else in his position would. Instead, he asks in return, "Do you think Batman would forgive you? Or the Joker?"

Todd laughs. He doesn't say anything else until it's time to go, and then he nods at Cole and murmurs, "Hail Mary," humming _Ave Maria_ as the guards escort him away.

The next morning, Todd is gone.

A few months later, Red Hood makes another comeback and Cole prays for his soul.


	2. the cost (be careful what you wish for)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: the cost (be careful what you wish for)  
> Disclaimer: not my characters  
> Warnings: violence, death,  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 450  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: Dcu, jason todd (/+ any), [monkey paw](http://americanliterature.com/author/w-w-jacobs/short-story/the-monkeys-paw)

This isn't at all what he wanted, he thinks, kneeling in a spreading puddle of blood, gasping for air, watching it all play out. But he was given the chance and he took it, and there's always a cost. _Should've remembered that, Dickie-boy_ , he hears in his mind, in a voice— 

If this is the price... 

.

Bruce comes home without Jason. He doesn't call Dick; he leaves that to Alfred. Dick hadn't thought much of Jason, too wrapped up in being tossed aside, but now that Jason is gone, Dick realizes what's been lost. 

No, not lost. Stolen. He screams at Bruce until his voice is hoarse and then goes to Barbara and they shout at each other before falling into bed, even though they've both sworn to move on. 

It's when he's listening to her breathe, counting the breaths, that he remembers what old Helena, back in the circus, used to talk about, about magic and wishes. 

He never really believes it will work. 

.

The first wish is for the Joker to die. 

There's a riot at Arkham and the Joker ends up gutted, bleeds out before any medical aid reaches him. 

.

The second wish is for Jason to come back. 

.

When the murders start, the only thing that keeps Batman from being accused is that he was with Commissioner Gordon during both the fourth and the sixth. Every victim is someone Batman had taken down, some of them still in prison, some of them out. 

Dick doesn't know when Bruce figures out the connection but it takes until the tenth attack for Dick. 

He visits the grave which hasn't been disturbed at all—except that someone has scratched out the death date. 

.

Bruce, as far as Dick knows, never told anyone what happened, if he even knew, between the Joker and Jason. But Jason died and the Joker didn't. 

Jason remembers. He kneels in front of Dick, cradles Dick's face in cold hands, and whispers, "There's one wish left, big brother. I know you want to." 

Bruce is god-knows-where, and there was a bombing earlier, and Barbara is trying to evacuate Gotham PD's headquarters. Jason makes a terrifying bad guy, Dick thinks with a hysterical chuckle, listing forward into Jason's hold. 

"You weren't supposed to be here," Jason admits, bringing one of those cold hands up to stroke Dick's forehead. "You're not a part of this, really."

Is this the price for bringing him back, life for life? Dick's willing... 

"You have one more wish," Jason says again, tilting Dick's face so that their gazes meet. His body feels far away. Everything does. "Make it, Dick. I'm tired." 

Dick blinks, and blinks again, and _wishes_ —


	3. he awaits in trembling the hour of retribution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: he awaits in trembling the hour of retribution  
> Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Leonora Sansay  
> Warnings: torture; based mainly on Under the Red Hood  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: R  
> Wordcount: 300  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: DCU, Jason Todd, Joker, the first to bleed

Jason breathes, inhaling deeply, watching the bastard. They're both smiling, but only one of 'em 'cause he wants to.

The Joker is always smiling, that grotesque grin carved on his face. This time, though, Jason doesn't think he means it.

Of course, he is a sadistic fucker, and he'll probably die laughing.

"How you doin', bucko?" Jason asks. "We havin' _fun_ yet?"

Joker cackles, but his voice is thin, sounds wet. Something's leaking. Good. Internal bleeding is a bitch. Jason would know.

"Bats and Birds don't kill," Joker says, and Jason's listening close enough to hear the fear. Oh, but he loves that. Batman's greatest foe is afraid of him. He's in the big leagues now.

"I've never been a Bat," Jason tells him, unsheathing his favorite knife, giving Joker a long look to figure out where to strike next. "And I haven't been a Bird in a long time." He kneels down by Joker's left foot, slams the knife in and wiggles it in-between all those little bones. "You saw to that, remember?"

The Joker screaming is something Jason will never get tired of, and he listens with a smile.

He's been taught by two masters, and he learned well. Joker's death is slower than Jason's. He dies in pieces. He sobs and he begs and he promises impossible things if Jason will just stop, and then even more things if Jason will just kill him.

Batman will be furious. Jason thinks this is long overdue, and if Bruce had just taken care of it himself… well. Let Batman have the moral high ground. He does so love looking down at the black sheep of the family.

Jason has the Joker's head on a plate, bloody and mouth open in his dying gasp. That's more than enough for him.


	4. stained and scarred

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: stained and scarred  
> Disclaimer: not my characters  
> Warnings: references to a less-than-stellar childhood  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 265  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: DCU, Jason Todd, He isn't the animal everyone thinks he is; he just likes getting his hands dirty while he gets the job done.

He knows that he's not the hero. Knows that his hands are stained and scarred with red. He knew that going in, long before Batman took a kid off the street and tried to clean him up, make him better. Turn him into a hero, like that guy whose place he could never fill. Compared to Batman, compared to Nightwing, the Red Hood is only a fallen shadow.

But he's always been a shadow. Does his best work in the dark. He learned that a long time before he tried to steal the wheels off the Batmobile. And it was nice, being a ward of Bruce Wayne. He almost felt safe for awhile.

But Bruce... Jason was broken a long time ago. Before Bruce, before the Joker, he was just a boy in pieces and no one can put him back together. Nobody.

And he's not rabid, no matter what Bruce and Alfred and even Dick think. He's not a monster, getting off on violence and blood.

He should be. By all rights, he goddamned should be. Not just anyone can get killed by the Joker and come out the other end just fine.

A crowbar and an explosion. And then the Batman's own teacher, trying to make amends and just fucking everything up even worse.

Jason knows what he is. And he knows what he's not.

Batman is the hero. Red Hood is just a bastard doing his best to clean up the streets, even though his hands are stained and scarred with blood.

(It's so much easier to kill than not.)


	5. pack, no matter what

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: pack, no matter what  
> Disclaimer: not my characters  
> Warnings: werewolf!AU  
> Pairings: pre-Jason Todd/Tim Drake  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 510  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: Jason/Tim, werewolves

Tim's wolf is still more of a pup, so Jason follows him covertly, sticking to the shadows more than usual.

The Joker's cackle echoes in the night, and Jason shudders, holding in a whimper, but Tim actually freezes in place, ears flicking around, trying to pinpoint the sound.

Bruce is helping Dick, a territory dispute that would have resulted in far more casualties without the Old Man's aid, which means Tim has no back-up coming except Jason.

Of course the Joker would pick tonight to escape, with the Old Man gone and the moon hanging ripe in the sky, full and shining bright.

Jason owes the Old Man, for all that he didn't kill the Joker when Jason died, and this pup, he's Bruce's newest stray. And he really is just a kid, younger even than Jason was, that last night.

The Joker cackles again, the next street over and moving fast. Tim hurries the other direction, frantically looking for a hiding spot, because while he is brave, he's not a fool. The Old Man is the only one who can even start to match the Joker in raw power.

It really is beautiful, when Bruce's huge black wolf and the Joker's spotted hyena fight, and Jason knows that Bruce has almost killed the Joker a few times. He always backs away, though, scared that even the first kill will be too much temptation and he'll go rabid. Like the Joker.

Jason doesn't have that problem. And Jason may not have reached his full strength yet, but that night will come, when the moon is full and the Joker arrogant, and Jason's jaws will latch onto the Joker's cackling throat, and Jason will rip him apart and lap up his blood, his muzzle painted glinting red.

Not tonight, though. Tim's just a pup and Jason needs to make sure he gets home, because the Joker will try to do to Tim what he did to Jason, and that can't be allowed. One fucked up pup is enough in the pack.

So Jason howls, diverting the Joker's attention, and Tim makes it out of the alley as the Joker trots into it.

The moon is full. Jason gleams a dark red, almost black, beneath it, and bares his fangs at the Joker. One night, not too long from now, he will kill this monster, but for now, he merely needs to distract the beast.

He snarls, lunging forward, and the Joker meets him, still cackling, and the Old Man will be pissed when he comes back to their territory.

The Joker's blood tastes wonderful, and Jason can barely wait until he's strong enough to rend and tear and destroy, and he scarcely feels the wounds slowing him down, and the Joker just keeps cackling, rabid and wild, and Jason knows he has to escape now or he won't be able to.

So he does, the Joker's mocking following him, but soon. The night will come.

For now, though, he needs to find Tim and make sure the pup gets home.


	6. Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds  
> Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Shakespeare.  
> Warnings: dark AU  
> Pairings: Jason Todd/Tim Drake  
> Rating: PG13  
> Wordcount: 210  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: Jason Todd/Tim Drake, "I love watching you work."

They met years after Timmy left the old man, that sick bastard who trained them both. Jason'd wanted to be the one to kill him, but Timmy said that it was actually the first kid, the one who'd been with the bastard the longest. He went back late one night, not too long after Timmy finally had enough.

Jason supposes that's alright then.

o0o

Timmy has morals. Jason finds that adorable. Timmy tries to only go after monsters wearing human skin, men who beat their wives, women who hurt kids, druglords and murderers and pimps who enjoy the goods whether the girl wants it or not.

Jason isn't so picky, though. His life before the old man was too full of blood and pain, and his life with the old man? Well. All those few years did was refine his taste.

o0o

But even Timmy has to admit, this guy deserves everything they'll do to him.

Jason offers him the knife. Timmy smiles and shakes his head. "No," he says. "I love watching you work."

The guy whimpers, closing his eyes. Jason pulls Timmy in for a kiss, biting down on Timmy's lip till he bleeds.

They were taught by the same man, and sometimes Jason thinks they were born for this.


	7. one of these things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: one of these things  
> Fandom: DCU  
> Disclaimer: not my characters  
> Warnings: a mix of Under the Red Hood and the cartoons and what I've learned through cultural osmosis  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 220  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: DCU, Jason Todd + the Bats, No matter what they say or do, he knows they'll never trust him completely. Whatever, it's not like he needs his family to trust him or anything.

Jason Todd was a killer. Red Hood had murdered with no remorse, and he'd do it again.

Batman did not kill. Robins didn't kill. Nightwing was his father's son, his teacher's pupil.

"One of these things is not like the other," Red Hood sing-songed, one gun pointed at the Riddler, the other at Nightwing. The replacement Robin kept shifting in place, like he was preparing for some move Red Hood learned while he was still in diapers. "One of these things just _isn't_ the same."

Batman'd be there soon. He always saved Nightwing, back when he was Robin. He'd always saved the newest Robin, so far.

One of these things really wasn't like the others. It actually hurt, like a crowbar to the head. Like a countdown and a locked door.

Like knowing he could never kill again, and it wouldn't matter because he already had.

He lowered the guns. No one moved. Riddler was shaking in his shoes because everyone knew Red Hood was a killer. Not like the others. Not the same at all.

"Take him," Red Hood, turning his back on them all. "Lock him up for a night. Won't change a thing come morning."

"No," Nightwing called after him. "I suppose it won't."

Beneath the hood, Jason closed his eyes. It still hurt.


	8. still a bullet in your daddy's gun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: still a bullet in your daddy's gun  
> Disclaimer: not my character; title from Miranda Lambert  
> Warnings: AUish?  
> Pairings: none  
> Rating: PG  
> Wordcount: 240  
> Point of view: third  
> Prompt: Jason Todd, It gets frustrating, being the only one actually doing the job.

What Bruce and all his good little minions don't seem to realize is that arresting the bad guys only makes them better criminals. Caging them only gives them time to learn and evolve and perfect their craft.

Arkham is worse than useless because they learn from each other and get three square meals a day and shelter from the elements. And they may respect Batman, but they sure don't fear him anymore because everyone knows there is a line he won't cross.

Joker killed Robin, and even then Batman let him live. Broken bones heal and the Joker bounced back, straight into Batman's waiting arms.

And everyone Batman's trained is the same. Won't take a life. They believe it means they won't be any better than the monsters they get off the street for a night.

But Red Hood, he learned his lesson on the floor at Joker's feet, beneath his fists and crowbar, in the heat of an explosion. He knows what has to be done, and he does it.

And everyone knows there is no line Red Hood won't cross to clean up the streets.

And everyone sees that Batman doesn't condone it, doesn't like it - but he doesn't stop it, either.

And in Jason's dreams, the Joker begs him for mercy. He has as little mercy asleep as he does awake, and criminals try to hide from him, but the Red Hood's gun finds them all.


End file.
